Sluiter Nation Home Tour: The Room That Almost Wasn’t

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UPDATE:I just found out that I have guest posts running over at Back to the Basics for my friend, Julie AND at Not Super…Just Mom for my friend, Miranda. So after you read this post, head over and show some love on their blogs!!

Last week Tuesday, I unveiled my intent to show you all around Sluiter Nation, MTV cribs-style (mom, that means giving a tour). I started with the Master Bedroom. This week, I am taking you to my favorite room in all of Sluiter Nation: The Nursery.

Come in, come in. The baby is not sleeping. This is his view though when he pushes that door open to his very own room. The room that almost didn’t happen.

Don’t get me wrong, the room itself has always been there. It was finished and ready for something when we bought the house almost six years ago. First it was an office/guest bedroom. I painted it this green color knowing I wanted it to be a nursery someday and I wouldn’t want to repaint. And it was a GREAT guest bedroom.

When we found out we were pregnant the first time, we started getting rid of the bed and other things that made it a guest bedroom. Then we weren’t pregnant. It was still an office, but more of a “cloffice” as DesignHerMomma would call it. It was a place for everything and nothing. It got worse after our second miscarriage. It was just piles, a computer, and occasionally? Me.

But then Eddie stuck. He decided he was going to be our son. And we turned this room of broken dreams into a warm, room of his own. I have never put so much effort into decorating and placing things in a room.

It needed to be apparent whose room this was–in case anyone forgot. And there needed to be a theme. All the pretty nurseries had themes (by the way, no other room in my house has a theme. Those rooms? Are a mishmash of things collected over time). This room was planned and thought out in my heart.

It needed books. My son would love books. He would be a lifelong reader like his mom. I collected books. Books and animals. As I mentioned here, Cort and I had been collecting animals for this room since before we were married. Every zoo we went to was another animal added to my “nursery pile.” So we (and by “we” I mean “I”. Cort totally indulged me however he could in this. I am eternally grateful for his compassion and understanding that I needed this room to be perfect) filled his room with books and animals.

Animals and books and comfort and safety. This is his space. This is his place to be. This is his.

And after all that planning and “putting” and rearranging? After all those hours that I sat in the room by myself with my big pregnant belly and read the books aloud to my growing baby? He was there. And we put him in his room.

Toys in a toy box. Crumpled up jammies waiting for the evening routine.

snugly blankies and soft friends waiting for naptime or bedtime.

His first friend on the wall by his changing table. Even in the midst of crabby colic, this elephant got smiles and coos. I’ve often given this elephant the stink eye wondering what he had that I didn’t back then. He just smiles knowingly back at me. Jerk.

Little shoes waiting for outside play. Resting from all the adventures of the morning.

And our spot. OUR spot. Where Eddie and I (and Eddie and daddy) spend countless hours rocking and rocking and singing and reading and rocking.

Eddie’s room. I still find myself sitting in the rocking chair looking at the room from that view (above) and trying to remember how the room used to be. But the memory escapes me. Memories never escape me. But that one is fading. And I am ok with that. I love this room. I love what this room means. This room? Means we are a family. We are Three.

BIG NEWS! Tonight we found out that all the paperwork went through for Cortney’s sister, MacKenzie and her husband, David for their adoption! They are officially on waiting lists! You can read about their journey at their blog Stepping Stones.

They will be holding an Adoption Auction Fundraiser over at their blog from Thursday, July 29-Sunday August 1st. There are TONS of great things going up for auction to help them raise the gazillion dollars it costs to bring their child(ren) home from Ethiopia. The auction is open to the whole wide world as far as I know and I think they are still accepting any donations for items/services to bid on.

ALSO, for those who are local? Sluiter Nation will be having a HUGE yard/garage sale on Saturday August 14 that we have named Kids in the Yard (Sale). All proceeds will go to Kenz and Dave to help bring our little family members home. If you would like to donate stuff to be sold, let me know and we will arrange to get it. Otherwise, we hope to see you there!!!

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Just a small town girl...wait no. That is a Journey song. Katie Sluiter is a small town girl, but she is far from living in a lonely world. She is a middle school English teacher, writer, mother, and wife. Life has thrown her a fair share of challenges, but her belief is that writing through them makes her stronger.

Comments

I totally hear you on the therapeutic nature of creating a nursery. I put a lot of love and time in a room for my son and then a room for my daughter during their respective pregnancies. This time the baby is rooming-in with us for awhile, so I don't know how to nest!

What a beautiful room. Ours was painted yellow because we didn't know what we were having. Everything was done in "old school" Winnie the pooh. It's my favourite room to just sit and remember when he was just teeny tiny. I really like these posts!